Too Late
by Stardustt
Summary: How a vicious misunderstanding can lead to a lifetime of heartache.


**Authors note****- **Ok, this is a song fic. I must admit that when I reread this when it was done I cried little. These two belong together no matter what happens. I've always loved the song 'Careless Whispers' by George Michaels. If you want to get the whole effect on my idea for this story, look up the video on 'you tube'. The story should come to more life with it playing. And in no way shape or form am I making any money off of this nor as much as I wish I do not own anyone nor anything in this story. The song that goes with this story is by one of my favorite oldie bands 'Duran Duran and the song obviously is called Careless Whispers. If you seen it on you tube then you'll get the whole concept of this story. ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

**Too Late**

"This is Harry Potter, Harry, this is my son...Cedric"  
"Hello- Hi-" they both say then laugh shyly....

_**'Time can never mend the careless whispers, of a good friend'**_

"I wanted to surprise you," Cedric stammered a bit as he blushed nervously. Harry took in the unused classroom filled with white roses and candles of every shape and size in the color of burgundy. There were even red and white rose petals scattered across the floor "Cedric..." he was only able to say, turning speechlessly as he took everything in. "Do you like it?" Cedric asked softly with apprehension as he approached him. The younger boy looked up at him with shining eyes and smiled. "I love it." The look of worry melted, replaced by a look of happiness. He pulled out his wand and aimed it to a small radio on one of the desks. Out flowed music, soft melody filling the room. "May I have this dance?" he asked Harry, as he held out his hand. Harry smiled blushingly and took it. "Yes you may, Mr. Diggory." They danced slowly, gazing into each others eyes. Nothing else seemed to exist as they moved, just the music and them. "Harry....I don't want anyone else, and if you'll have me...i'm yours." The raw emotion Harry saw in those eyes over whelmed him enough to stop his breath. "Mine?" he whispered and Cedric nodded. "All yours. I want to belong only you," he whispered back huskily, kissing Harry softly and deeply.

_**'To the heart and mind Ignorance is kind there's no comfort in the truth pain is all you find'**_

"But Cedric, we've only been going out for two months," Harry said nervously. "It's okay baby, we love each other," the other whispered against his lips as he kissed him. Cedric covered the trembling body beneath him with his, whispering soft words in his ear as he took him as gently as he could. Molded together as one, passion danced their bodies into a fevered rhythm, a moisten sheen covering them in a glow as they clung to each other, screaming out the other's name in desperation. Later on when the first task came and went, they escaped the ecstatic Gryffindor's and celebrated their victory alone, this time in the room of requirement. Harry had never felt so happy and Cedric felt exactly the same. "Promise that you'll never leave me baby. I wouldn't be able to bare it," he said quietly after a moment of studying his face, voice thick with emotion. Harry nuzzled his nose softly against Cedrics' and kissed him tenderly. " I would never leave you, love. I finally have someone to call my very own. I am whole when i'm with you…complete." Cedric's eyes watered as he covered Harry's body with his. "My Harry...my baby..." he whispered as they slowly made love again....

_**'Should've known better, yeaaa......'**_

"Just wanted to congratulate you on getting the egg," Cho said seductively, causing a flush to taint his pale face uncomfortably as they stood in the hallway. "Um...thanks," Cedric smiled forcedly. Cho ran a finger down the side of his cheek, trailing it down his chest. "Why don't you stop by my common room? I'm sure we can come up with our own 'celebration'...if you want," she cooed softly, reaching up and kissing him on the lips. A low gasp to their right drew their attention, and found Harry rooted on the spot of two intersected hallways. The blood drained out of Cedric's face as he stared into the eyes of his beloved; filled with shock and even worst, pain. Cho grinned at the sight of this. "The password is 'peach fuzz'. My bed is the fourth one to the left. I'll make sure we'll have some fun, all night if you're up to it." She winked at him then turned around, walking past Harry, giving him a cold smirk. "Harry-wait!" But the Gryffindor was too quick and by the time Cedric reached the connecting halls Harry was gone, leaving him with a pang of guilt so huge that he thought he would suffocate under its pressure. Days went by, then weeks with no sign of Harry. Cedric knew he was avoiding him, never showing up for lunch, going out of his way as to have Hermione and Ron bringing food up to him as so not to run into him. Cedric would wait outside of every class Harry attended but after the last student would exit the room he would go in and check just to make sure and always finding it empty. He didn't know that Harry would slip out with the rest of the students, hidden by the invisibility cloak. He tried sending numerous owls to him, apologizing beggingly; but to no avail, Harry never replied back. He was at the point of desperation and one day after dinner he cornered Hermione outside the grand hall . "Please Hermione. I've got to talk to Harry. Let me apologize to him," he begged hoarsely. She stepped back from, looking at him coldly. "He wants nothing to do with you, Diggory."

Making a strangling sound, he placed his hands on her shoulders. "I need to tell him that nothing happened. I swear to you Hermione...'nothing happened'." She read the pleading in his eyes and sighed. "He's hurting Cedric. Hurting really bad....he thinks you took Cho's offer and went up to her room." He gasped shook his head wildly. "But I didn't even go! I swear to you Hermione, I DIDN'T EVEN GO!" he cried desperately. She shook her head. "There's nothing I can do. He doesn't even want to eat. All this food i'm bringing up to him? He'll eat about a few bites and that's it. Me and Ron try to get him to take more but he refuses. He never leaves his bed unless for class or bathroom. We have to give him the food in his bed," she whispered, a small sob escaping from her pouting mouth. Cedric stood there stone cold. "Do you know if he's even read any of the letters i've sent him?" he asked brokenly. Hermione reached inside her robes and slowly pulled out a stack of envelopes, quietly handing them over to him. Cedric stared at them. "He didn't even bother to open them?" his voice trembled and Hermione shook her head. He took them with shaky hands and slid slowly to the floor. "But nothing happened," he whispered brokenly as he stared at the tied up stack in his hands, tears rolling down his face. Other students began to pile out of the grand hall, some passing them by, a few hesitating to glance at Cedric's tear stained face. "Hermione...I 'need' him... what am I gonna do?" A few more people began to take notice of him as well and began to whisper. "Cedric, I don't think this is the neither the right place nor time to talk about this," Hermione muttered, aware of all the attention he was receiving. "Do you think I care what they're thinking? Harry hates me!" he said as he stood back up. "I don't give a rat's ass what anyone's thinking! I just lost the best thing that has ever happened to me over something that never even happened!"

"Cedric, wait-!" Hermione called out but he disappeared into the crowd. A couple of weeks before the Yule Ball, Harry received another letter but this time it was anonymous. He hesitated to open it but Ron eventually convinced him to, that it could've been from Sirius. As soon as he opened it he recognized the penmanship, crumpling it up and throwing it into a waste basket. Ron didn't have to guess who it was from. "You never read the others, at least read this one, just this once. See what the bugger wants." Harry glanced at the trash can for a couple of seconds then bending down, he reached in, grabbing the crumpled parchment and tried to flatten it out as best as he could. After a couple of seconds of reading Ron asked; "well, what does it say?" Harry placed the letter slowly on his bedside table. "He wants to make amends, wants to take me to the ball." Ron's eyebrows shot up. "Are you considering taking him up on it?" he asked. Harry stayed silent for a few moments, as if struggling with himself on what to decide. Finally he sighed hollowly and nodded. "Yea, i'm accepting his invitation." Ron looked at him incredulously. "You've got to be joking! Harry, you're going to put yourself through more pain again." Harry stood up and looked at Ron in the eye. "Tell him Ron. Tell him that I accept and that I will meet him at the foot of the stairs near the grand hall." Ron looked at him gloomily. "But Harry-," but the other cut him off. "I need you to do this... for me." Ron tried to read what were in those eyes and saw a battle he did not think Harry would win.

The day of the Ball arrived. Decorations flowed through the entire school as much as the electricity of excitement did on the students. Harry took one more look in the mirror and deemed himself presentable. When he went down to the common room the only ones there were Ron and Hermione. "What are you guys still doing here? Hermione, isn't Krum waiting for you? And you Ron, i'm sure your date isn't going to be happy if you don't hurry up and get down there," he said. Hermione smiled. "You look smashing," she said with a smile that Harry returned. "And you're the picture of lovely perfection." She smiled and gave him a big hug. "Thank you," she whispered. Looking over to Ron he whistled. "You cleaned up pretty good Weasley," he teased, making him blush and smile. "So," Hermione said as she linked her hands through the arms of both boys. "Are we ready to outshine everyone?" They all walked out linked together, smiling.

As they drew nearer to the main floor the buzz of conversations and laughter reached their ears. Harry was began to feel nervous, wondering if he had made the right decision after all when they arrived on the last landing of the final staircase. Everyone was dressed in their best attire and didn't look anything like their usual selves. The three walked down still linked. As soon as Victor spotted Hermione he walked up to her and smiled. "You look _bootiful,_" he said, making her blush furiously. "Thank you," shyly she replied. "Shall we go?" he asked. She turned to Harry and kissed him on his cheek. "Good lucky Harry." Then she took hold of Victor's arm and away they went. "Well, my date just spotted me so here she comes-hey, Harry, if anything happens, if you want to get away, give me a sign and I'll come running," Ron said. Harry looked at him and smiled. "Thanks Ron, really. But I think I'll be ok." He saw Ron's gaze harden and he turned around to find Cedric standing behind him. "Member Harry, let me know," and he walked away. "Hello Harry," Cedric said nervously. "Hello," Harry replied back; emotionless. "You look beautiful, if I may say so." Harry didn't comment on that but just smiled and looked down. The other boy struggled on what to say next. "I-um...thank you for accepting to come with me. Frankly I didn't expect any reply at all back from you." He was about to answer back when the huge doors opened and the champions were called to form a line. Cedric looked over at Harry and held up his arm. Softly and hesitantly he asked, "Shall we?" Harry swallowed nervously as he latched onto his arm; all the while focusing on Victor's back side as they walked in, not even taking in the beautifully transformed hall.

_**'I feel so unsure as I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor'**_

Cedric reached down and gently took his hand, leading him onto the crowded dance floor. Through out the evening Cedric tried to engage Harry in small talk while they danced; steering away from what had happened, but Harry remained solemn, too busy trying to win a raging battle of tears, taking him every ounce of energy to hold them in. Finally, when the hour struck eleven Harry decided he was just too exhausted to go on with this charade and tried to pull apart from him. Sensing this was bound to happen, Cedric tightened his arms around Harry's waist. "Don't," he pleaded. "Please-don't leave me," he whispered into his ear, voice growing thick. Harry disentangled himself from him and looked up. For a moment, neither of them spoke, hardly a breath passed from their lips. What Cedric saw in the others eyes made his own water with clarity.

_**'As the music dies something in your eyes calls to mind a silver screen and all its sad goodbyes'**_

"You came here to say goodbye.....didn't you..." he whispered, pain dripping from his voice. All around them lovers and friends were dancing, laughing, oblivious of the two boys who's hearts were dieing. As hard as it was not to break eye contact, he nodded. "You asked me to accompany you...and I did. " Then as an after thought he added, " I just want to get over this pain...over you, as quick as I can Cedric." He began to turn away again but Cedric grabbed a hold of his hand. "Harry, 'please'," he begged. "Please! You're the only one I want, the only one that ever mattered-" But Harry waved him away. "Mattered?" he scoffed. "Tell me Cedric. Did you not think I wouldn't hear the stories?" he growled incredulously to him. Cedric's face drained of all color. "The whispers around every corner? You and Cho have been the latest longest gossip than any other ever spread here." Cedric was too ashamed to look into his eyes and had no good enough explanation for his part. Harry curled his lip, an almost exact replica to the one Malfoy always wore. "Congratulations on that by the way. I'm sure your parents will be 'so' proud when they find out what else their prized son is known for." That remark drove straight to his heart.

_**'I'm never gonna dance again guilty feet have got no rhythm though it's easy to pretend I know you're not a fooooll...'**_

"Ok!...Ok...." he sighed sadly. "I messed up, big time. But I am truly....TRUELY sorry. Harry, you don't know how much I am. I thought that you'd never speak to me again, that you didn't want anything to do with me," his voice pitching a little. Other's were starting to stare. Harry looked at him flatly. "So you turn to another. Are you so selfishly moronic to even 'assume' that you could do what you have been doing this past month and that I wouldn't find out?" Cedric ran his hand through his hair and looked away. "She flaunted it in my face Cedric, 'rubbed it in'. Can you even comprehend what that did to me, what it's 'still' doing to me?" The battle with his emotions was failing and he felt the burning prickle of tears just behind his lids. "This whole castle has eyes Cedric. Hell, even Moaning Myrtle was present at those spectacular performances; so I unfortunately heard, starring you and Cho."

_**'Should've known better than to cheat a friend and waste this chance that 'i've been given so i'm never gonna dance again the way I danced with yoouuuu...'**_

"Baby, please...please....i'm sorry, I am so sorry," Cedric wrenched out but Harry shook his head, looking away. "Yea, me too. I trusted you to love me. Out of anyone here I trusted 'you' the most with my heart. I gave myself to you. My heart...my 'body'." Cedric reached out to him as the song was coming to its' end but Harry pushed him back a bit, stepping out of his reach. "And you know what the worst thing about all this is? That even if you really were telling the truth bout before, you fucking her after the fact is what killed what we had." Looking up one more time at Cedric, he placed his hand against his cheek. "Goodbye Cedric," he whispered. "I will never forget you...first love of my life," at this last part a small sob broke through and he turned, walking away before any tears could have fallen. "Harry!" he shouted and tried to follow but Cho came up behind him, holding him by the arm. "Screw him, baby. You don't need him-" she said, continuing to talk but the ringing in his ears and the numbness that filled his heart and body droned her out.

_**'I'm never gonna dance again guilty feet have got no rhythm though it's easy to pretend i know you're not a fooooll...**_

_**Should've known better than to cheat a friend and waste this chance that i've been given so i'm never gonna dance again the way I danced with yooouuu....'**_

As the school year went by, the two boys seemed to avoid each other pretty well; with the exception of anything concerning the tournament. They only spoke to each other when needed, never meeting of the eyes, and did what they were expected to do. After what Harry went through with the first task, he had serious shakes as he worried on how he was going pull off the next one. At the end, almost to the last second to the end of the hour of the task, he finally mustered up what little strength he had left, pushing Ron and Fluer's little sister up towards the surface of the water as he battled with the grind lows, a moment later zapping them with a spell and finally breaking through the water as well. Cedric had won first place, Harry coming in second with the added points from showing moral fiber. The entire Hufflepuff house cheered and whooped it up at Cedric's first place. Cedric felt the hard pats on his back and shoulders as his house congratulated him over and over again. But later that night, he would not remember any of this. The only memory haunting his mind were the furiously looking welts that marked Harry's entire body; up to his neck and even a couple on his cheek and forehead. And he found himself wishing he could kiss them away.

Months dragged on with spring then summer. By then the gossip of what he had done to Harry had died down all together. The new story going around was of Cho latching on to some Slytherin who's parents had inherited a bank vault full of gold; which for Cedric, he was very thankful for it. Although he still hurt for Harry, the pain did lessen a bit. The few times he'd pass Harry in the halls or lunch, walking with Ron and Hermione, he noticed this time his smiles actually reached his eyes. He also couldn't help but notice him receiving more owls than the usual and didn't think they were all from his Sirius. When the day of the last task had finally arrived Cedric thought that if he made it through alive, he had nothing else to live for. This last task marked the end of the school year. His last year here in Hogwarts and becoming an adult in everyone's eyes. It also meant he had give his father an answer on the offer to work with him for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. He was still deciding on it, though the pressure was continuously building up by his father. Dumbledore gave them a some-what pep talk, warned them about the dangers and the risks, and then wished them all luck. At the sound of the canon, each entered the maze from different angled paths; finding themselves in total darkness as the only way out was sealed behind them. "Lumos," Harry said, bringing his wand to light. The air was dense in there, so much so that the sound of his footsteps fell flat with each step. And the dark was so thick that the light from his wand only penetrated about a foot around him. He turned this way then that, walking into black paths and hoping nothing would jump out at him from the dark at the edge of his beam. An hour had passed, finding him back tracking his steps after coming to four dead ends. Another three times he had to fight off or dive for cover when he ran ino a Blast-Ended Skrwert, a Bogart; which at first thought to be a Dementor, then the biggest, ugliest spider he had ever seen. Much more larger than Aragog. Escaping with only a deep gash on his right calf and a long scratch across his left cheek, he stopped and leaned on his knees for support, taking in heapfuls of air. He was filthy, dripping in sweat and had the worst case of shakes. "I swear," his voice noticeably trembling. "If I live through this i'm going to hex the demented asshole who conjured up these bastards," he growled while continuing to take big gulps of dense air.

Harry flinched at the sound of something snapping right behind him; in a path running parallel to him. Slowly he stood up, wand to the ready, and cautiously limped his way to the end of it. Then from the other side of the maze wall he heard a voice in confused anger. "What are you doing?....what the hell do you think you're doing?!" Harry's heart froze. "Cedric," he whispered, turning the corner and trying to find the entry way to where he was at. "Crucio!" someone shouted, afterwards the agonizing screams of Cedric filled the air. He finally reached the entrance and saw Cedric withering violently on the ground, eyes rolling to the back of his head and what seemed to be a bit of green foam around his lips. Harry looked up and saw Victor, who hadn't realized yet that he was being watched. Taking this opportunity, he pointed his wand and shouted, "Stupefy!" It hit him square in the chest, causing his body to fly three feet into the air, bouncing off the maze wall and landing hard on the floor. "Cedric?" he called as he tried to shake him awake. "Cedric!" he cried louder but his former boyfriend was out cold. Reaching into his pocket and pulling out a handkerchief he softly wiped his mouth clean then caressed the back of his fingers across his cheek. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he slowly stood up and, pointing his wand to the sky, shot a shower of red sparks into the air. That being done, he took one more glance at Cedric then went to Victor. He had been hexed. His eyes were open and completely white. It was up to him and Fleur now. He continued to walk as fast as he could, turning this way and that. Nothing else blocked his way, giving him the impression that now with two down, they weren't that much of a threat. After about another half hour or so of twist and turns, something on the ground caught his eye. A light, from afar. Slowly he walked up to it. It was the end of a wand, almost covered in vines. Gasping, he began to tear at them as quickly as his bleeding hands would move. It was Fleur, also unconscious. He tore at the vines around her face and head where she would now be able to breath a bit easier, then shot another blast of sparks into the air then looked down at her still form. He was now alone in this huge maze and sighed resignly. "Looks like I win after all," he whispered. Despite the pain in his leg and the cold fear in his heart he got up and began to hobble slowly. It was the cup. 'Thank Merlin,' thought as he approached it, heart beating painfully in his chest overjoyed that it finally almost over. He was so exhausted and aching that he just wanted get this over and done with just get back. He reached out for it, but right before he was about to touch it something made him hesitate, fingers only inches from the beautiful glowing trophy. 'Take it Harry, finish it...and then you can go back,' something whispered around him. His leg was shaking uncontrollably by now and without another thought he nodded and grabbed it.

Harry woke up thrashing in bed with a shout, breathing into almost an hyperventilation, a cold sheen of sweat covering his trembling body. He looked around, taking in his surroundings, making sure he was at home, safe; instead back at the graveyard where his real nightmares had began. He lay back down onto his pillow and closed his eyes as the memories of what had happened four years ago drifted away. No one knew the cup was a porkey. Not even Dumbledore himself. With the help of Wormtail, which was thought to be dead, all it took was a bit of Harry's blood, a dried up bone from Voldemort's father and a spell to bring him back. Stories spread quickly overt the dark lord's return, terror spreading far and wide, then a few years later Voldemort was dead...by the hand of the one he hated the most. The phone rang just then, startling a yelp from him. "Hello?....Oh hey...yea, are we still on for tonight?..............Great! Ok, yea, I'll meet you there.....yes, that's right. At the Durango Club.......yea," he said rolling his eyes. "I know I promised you it wouldn't be another muggle club but you know how much I like them." Whatever the other person said must've been erotic because Harry's face had turned a light shade of pink and he smiled shyly. "You got yourself a deal," he said in a soft voice and giggled. "Ok, seven o'clock, i'll be there....yea, bye," and hung up. He looked at the time and saw he only had a couple of hours to get ready. He loved Saturdays; his only days off, where he could lounge around the house, relaxing, doing whatever he wanted. Every week he worked hard, busting his butt hunting down illegally charmed artifacts. It took him across the world sometimes but he didn't mind, he loved it. He did some cleaning, washed some clothes that had been in bottom of his closet for a couple of weeks (and were beginning to smell a bit rancid), then changing into a pair of shorts and tee-shirt he stepped outside and ran down the beach for his daily jog. Keeping track of time, he headed back at six thirty, took a quick shower, casted a drying spell over himself, brushed his teeth and made sure he smelled good with some cologne before he left the house. Glancing at his watch he saw it was a couple of minutes till seven. Looking in the mirror one more time he thought he looked presentable enough and apparated to the club.

He appeared in the alley behind the club and making sure he wasn't spotted headed to the front. Darkness blinded him for a moment as he entered through the door. When his eyes fully adjusted to the low lighting he started to search the tables for his date. He noticed it was a bit crowded tonight. Way in the back, near the dance floor a hand rose up and waved at him, beckoning him over. Smiling, Harry waved back and wove through the numerous of occupied tables. "Wow, you look good," the other said. Harry smiled and winked. "I do don't I," he playfully teased as he ran his hand through his hair and laughed. "You don' look bad yourself," he said softly as he sat down then leaned over, kissing his date softly on the lips. "I've missed you." Harry placed his hands over the others and sighed. "I know, i'm sorry. This week was a bit hectic. I got home every night well past one in the morning. But i'm here now....and I promised you a night of 'us' time," Harry said. "Yes you did, and I mean to make sure you fulfill it well too." He stood up, pulling Harry up and took the lead onto the dance floor. A couple of hours later a tall, good-looking but yet a bit 'worn around the eyes' guy came in alone and sat at the bar. "Hey Pete, I'll have the usual," he said softly. The bartender smiled and nodded, getting to work on his drink. A slow song began to play over head, filling the room with a soft male's voice. He sat there listening to the words for a bit as a tall glass with a light purple liquid and a wedge of coconut on the rim was placed in front of him. "You alone tonight?" Pete asked as he dried off some shot glasses. "Yea," the other said. "Just needed to be alone for once." Pete gave a scoff. "I'm not one to judge but, isn't this a place where people 'want' to not be alone?"

_**'Time can never mend The careless whispers of a good friend To the heart and mind Ignorance is kind There's no comfort in the truth Pain is all you'll find'**_

The other laughed and nodded. "You're right, you're right. You are '_exactly'_ right," he said as he plopped the coconut wedge into this mouth. "I think it's just...well, I do want to be alone....but just not 'alone'-alone. Not isolated alone." Understanding shown in the bartender's face. "Ah, ok, I get it now," he said. "Yea, sometimes being home at night gets to me. It's so quiet. Empty. I'm just so tired of feeling lonely." Pete laid his hand softly on the other's shoulder, making him look up. "I'm sorry," he laughed dryly to the bartender. "I didn't mean to be just another bloke dumping their sob stories on you." Pete waved him off. "Eh, don't worry about it. I've heard them all, believe me."

_**'I'm never gonna dance again Guilty feet have got no rhythm Though it's easy to pretend I know your not a fooool...'**_

"People think that only women get 'sappy'. That they're not complete unless they have someone with them, loving them. Shit, us guys have needs too. Not just a warm body next to them, but someone to be there for them. To hold and to love, to call their own." There was an empty seat next to the guy and a tall, good looking blond guy sat in it. "Hey David, how's it going," Pete asked. "Tired. Just got off of work. Popped in for a night cap before I headed for home," he said then took notice of the other next to him. "Hello," the blond smiled to him. "Hello," giving him a nod then turning back to his drink. "That looks good. What's it called?" he asked. "Mystic sky," the other answered, looking down into his drink. "Hey Pete, i'll have what he's having." Pete nodded, "Sure thing." The blond turned to the other again. "Hi, i'm David," he said. The guy looked at the blond and gave him a small hello then turned back, causing David to raise an eyebrow to the Bartender questionly. "Um," he tried again. "Are you ok?" he asked. "No offense, but i'm not here to hook up," the brooding guy muttered. David gave a dry laugh. "Who said anything about hooking up? All I asked was if you were ok. No harm in that is there?" The guy looked at him and shook his head, sighing. "I'm sorry, I'm just having a bad night...night or life, can't really tell anymore," he retorted as he downed the rest of his drink. Pete placed the glass in front of David and he took a swig of it. "Mmmm...this is good. You got good taste my man," he said and the other just nodded and smiled. "Hey, I don't mean for this to sound as a come-on, because it really isn't, but....you want to dance?" The guy studied him quietly for a moment. "No, i'm serious; it's _not_ a hit-on. Just a dance. Maybe what ever you're going through, it'll take your mind off of it...for at least a little while maybe." He sat there and thought, 'Eh, it's worth a try, and it beats sitting here feeling sorry for myself'. Turning around in his seat and stepping down, he placed a ten on the bar. "Keep the change Pete." David followed the other into the dancing crowd. When they were almost to the center of the dance floor they stopped and David placed his hands on guy's waist as the other put his around his neck. "I love this song. It's sad but it's still good to dance too," he told the guy. The guy just closed his eyes and tried to imagine that someone else was holding him, moving to the music that surrounded them. He didn't pay attention to the words when he first came in but now that he was dancing and had his eyes closed, the words flooded his mind with painful memories.

_**'Should've known better than to cheat a friend And waste this chance that I've been given So I'm never gonna dance again The way I danced with yooouuu...'**_

Piercing green eyes, soft red lips, satiny skin…_'you can't catch me!,'_ a ghostly voice echoed with mischief as he remembered flying after the other, then tumbling down to the ground in each others arms, laughing. 'I caught you,' the older boy whispered as the younger one looked up at him. _'I let you,'_ he smirked, pulling him down into a hungry kiss.

_**'Never without your looove'**_

More flooded his mind, the picnic they secretly had to celebrate near the lake under beautiful full moon when all were asleep in the school; after passing a major test in Charms , the time he found a red rose on his bed with a little chocolate dragon fast asleep in the center, a note saying, 'Just because.' The sound of someone laughing brought him back to the present and his heart froze. 'I know that laugh,' he thought. He stopped moving and looked through the crowd, searching for where it came from. "What's wrong?" David asked. "Um, I'll be back," he said as he headed in the direction of the laugh. "_Scuse _me, _pardon_ me-_**oh, sorry**_..." he muttered as he squeezed through the crowd. His heart skipped a painful beat as he heard it again to his right. Swallowing nervously he turned around and froze. He didn't know how long he stood there; others were starting to wonder why he was doing so. Then a face with a beautiful smile turned and once again, after so long a time, green eyes met grey. "Oh my God," he read on the lips for the music was too loud to hear. Slowly, with heavy feet he walked up to the dancing pair. "Cedric?"

"Harry," he whispered, oblivious of the older guy next to him. "Cedric...how-_how are you_?" he asked with the same shocked expression that Cedric wore. "Harry....I" He was interrupted by someone clearing their throat, breaking the spell. "Oh, _sorry_. Um....you remember Cedric, don't you Ollie?" he asked, still wearing the look of shock. "Yea, Amos's son, right?" he smiled as he his shook his hand, Cedric nodding numbly. "You were allot _shorter_ back then," Oliver laughed. Harry looked a bit uncomfortable with standing in between the two. "Um, Cedric...I assume you remember Oliver as well...._my boyfriend_." All moisture in Cedric's mouth evaporated. His heart constricted. Harry was about to say something but Oliver cut him off. "Hey babe, why don't you finish this dance with Cedric? I've got to use the loo then i'm going to get a drink. Want anything?" He asked Harry, but he shook his head. "How about you, would you like anything from the bar?" Not being able to tear his eyes off of Harry, he declined as well. "Alright, I'll be back," the older boy said and left. An uncomfortable silence lay between them until someone bumped Harry into Cedric. "Oh, sorry," he said, looking up, blushing. "_Dance with me_," Harry read off off Cedric's lips and stepped back. "I don't think that's a good idea." Cedric gently grabbed his hand and said "Oliver won't mind, he told us to." When he looked up into that face, the memory of it took him back to Hogwarts. How much he was so in love with him, how he loved to hold him and breath in his scent. Cedric drew Harry close and wrapping his arms around his waist, they began to dance in slow silence.

_**'Tonight the music seems so loud I wish that we could lose this crowd Maybe it's better this way We'd hurt each other with the things we'd want to say'**_

The world disappeared as they clung to each other in a slow rhythm dance; Harry's head on his shoulder and both with their eyes closed. "Harry....I can't believe i'm holding you again," Cedric said softly. "You never left my thoughts, nor my heart, not for one second." Hearing this Harry's throat began to tighten. "Cedric, please stop," he whispered. "_I can't_," Cedric whispered harshly. "I'm sorry, _but I can't_. You don't know _how _much i've been missing you, _every second_ of _every night_ and _day_." Harry stopped and pulled away a bit, looking down but still clinging to him. "Cedric...._I have a boyfriend_...I've _moved on_..." he said. He felt fingers under his chin lifting it up until he was again gazing into those grey eyes. "_Do you not feel anything for me?"_ he asked Harry in a broken tone_._ "Is there _no part of you_ that wishes_ we could love each other again?_" Harry looked up at him and his eyes began to mist. "Don't do this Cedric, _not after all this time_. It took me a _so long_ to get over you...over the pain I went through," at this last part his voice cracked. Harry slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "You were my _everything. _My _**all**__. I would've given __my** life for you**_..." Cedric could see Oliver making his way back to them and turning tear filled eyes to Harry, he placed a hand behind his head and an arm around his back, lowering his mouth to his ear and roughly whispered, "I will _**'always'**_ love you Harry-James-Potter..._**'always'**_.

_**'We could have been so good together We could have lived this dance forever But no one's gonna dance with meee-  
Please staay!'**_

Harry felt moisture behind his eyes and so he closed them, whimpering as his throat constricted. Painfully Cedric pulled away, tears silently streaming down his face and after a moment of memorizing the contours of Harry's face he brokenly whispered "_only love of my life_," as he caressed his cheek with the back of his knuckles. Before Oliver had reached them he turned and slowly walked out of the club.

_**'And I'm never gonna dance again Guilty feet have got no rhythm Though it's easy to pretend I know your not a fooooll...**_

_**Should've known better than to cheat a friend And waste the chance that I've been given So I'm never gonna dance again The way I danced with yooouuu....oh-hoooe!**_

_**(Now that you're gone)-Now that you're gone.  
(Now that you're gone)-What I did so wroong, so wroooong…. that you had to leave me aloooone....'**_

**Ok, I have to admit that when in writing this short story I was just going on with the flow, not knowing where this was going to lead me too. I knew I wanted an angsty story but when I was done and read the story to its complete entirety I was caught off guard when the end choked me up a bit. I **_**really**__**love**_** Cedric, especially an emotional one who wears's his heart on his sleeve. Although I **_**REALLY**_** hate sad endings something in me needed to put this one out. Hope you likie =)**


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